Time is of the Essence
by RockDiva
Summary: Senior year has arrived and as graduation approaches, Lloyd announces that he has fixed the Time Machine. What will become of Phil and Keely? And why is Mr. Messerschmit acting so strange! Please read and rate this romantic adventure.
1. Maintain Conciousness

**4:00 in the morning**

**(Phil's bedside phone rings. Half asleep, he fumbles to answer it.)**

**Phil**: Hello, Keely. What is it now?

**Keely**: **(excitedly)** Exactly 3 hours until we're officially seniors!

**Phil**: Yeah, Keel, I know. An hour ago it was 4 hours and the hour before that it was 5. I'm just gonna take a stab at this, but in an hour from now it'll be 2 hours until we're officially seniors. Now can you just let me sleep?

**Keely**: How can you sleep? This is the biggest thing ever!

**Via**: Yeah, Phil, Keely's right.

**Phil**: Via? How'd you get on here?

**Keely**: Oh, Via and Owen three-wayed me and I three-wayed you.

**Phil**: You're on here too, Owen?

**Owen**: What, dude, you thought I'd let you hog the two most beautiful gals in Pickford all to yourself?

**Phil**: Okay, I don't know what it is, but you guys have all lost it. What am I missing? **(Sarcastically)** Besides sleep.

**Keely**: Everything, Phil! You're the one who's lost it if you don't understand why we're excited about being seniors. I mean think of all the things we get to do now!

**Via**: Like senior pictures!

**Owen**: We get to eat at the senior table _and _**(excitedly)**use the senior bathrooms. No

more single-ply toilet paper for us, Bro!

**Via**: You're kidding right? Toilet-paper?

**Phil**: Actually, he makes a pretty good point.

**Keely/Via**: **(at the same time)** What!

**Via**: You guys are missing the point! Being seniors is like the first step to being adults!

**Keely**: Yeah, and don't forget about the senior prom! **(both girls squeal)**

**Phil**: Alright, that's enough for me. I'm going to hang up now. And Keel, I mean it…don't call again! **(hangs up)**

**5 Minutes Later**

**(Phil has finally settled back to sleep when the phone rings again.)**

**P****hil**: **(groaning)** What is it?

**Keely**: I forgot to ask what you plan on wearing.

**Pim**: **(from her phone)** Give it a rest, Blondie! You'll find out what he's wearing when you see him IN THE MORNING! You know, the morning where there's actually a sun in the sky! Now I'm going to give you one more minute to hang up and you're _not _going to call back. If you do, I'll make sure you get dropped off with Curtis in the Stone Age when we get the time machine fixed! **(mock sincerity)** Sweet dreams. **(hangs up her phone)**

**Keely**: And I thought she was grouchy during the day. **(no response)** Phil? Phil? Are you there? **(hears snoring!) **Alright, Sleeping Beauty, I get the point. Good-night, Phil. **(finally hangs up**)

**

* * *

**

**The Next Morning**

**(At Keely's House)** Keely's trying on dozens of outfits and accessories while dancing and singing to her radio.

**(At Phil's House)** Phil and his family are at breakfast. Barb is serving breakfast.Lloyd isreading the newspaper. Phil and Pim are arguing over the pancakes and syrup.

**30 Minutes Later**

**(Outside) **Phil and Keely walk out of their houses and meet each other on the sidewalk. Via pulls up in an SUV with Owen in the front seat. Phil and Keely get in and we see them drive away.

**(In Via's SUV)**

**Phil:** Thanks for the ride, Via, but you do know it wasn't necessary right? I mean me and

Keely probably live closer to the school than anyone else. We could've walked.

**Owen: **Phil, my man, when will ya get with the program? We get senior parking now!

When my brother came here they had valet parking.

**Keely:** Oh hey, I remember that. Wasn't there some kind of accident that made them get

rid of it?

**Owen:** Yeah, I think someone crashed into the principle's brand new Mercedes. Rumor

was that it _wasn't _an accident.

**Phil:** Ouch.

**Keely:** Mmm-hmm. Oh! I just remembered I have a surprise for the three of you!

**Phil:** What?

**Keely: (acting coy)** Oh, I don't know.

**Via:** Come on! Spill!

**Keely:** Alright, I talked to the Vice Principle Hackett and he approved my idea for a

special daily newscast for the seniors. I get to be top reporter!

**Phil:** Wow, Keel, that's great. I know how much you wanted to do this.

**Keely:** And here's the best part. Via's going to be co-host!

**V****ia:** Really? **(turning around to look at Keely)**

**(The car begins to swerve towards the other side of the road. Owen quickly grabs the wheel to steer it back into the right lane.)**

**Owen:** Via!

**Via:** Oh, sorry guys. **(grabs the wheel)**

**Keely:** And as for Phil and Owen, you guys get to actually be in charge of all the camera

equipment, including training the freshmen.

**(Phil and Owen look at each other unenthusiastically)**

**Phil/Owen: (imitating a girly squeal)** Oh my gosh!

**Keely:** Ha ha, you guys. Real funny. Laugh if you want, but this year's going to be the

best year ever, hands down.


	2. The Best Year Ever

**(In the school gymnasium for senior orientation)**

**Hackett:** Hands down, this will probably be the best year of school for the most of you.

Never before have we had so many students with bright futures ahead of them.

And this year you'll all be receiving some extra senior perks. And no I don't

mean the return of valet parking. Mr. Messerschmitt is here to discuss a few of

them at this time.

**Messerschmitt:** Thank-you, but I need no introduction. Never before have I taken such

an -dare I say the word- interest in a graduating class as I have this one.

However, before me I see the next Einsteins, the next Ghandis, the next

excellent fast-food chain inventors and I know that someday, when I'm

old and my memory begins to fail, I'll still remember the Singhs, the

Teslows, the **(a deliberate pause)** Diffys that I once taught.

Somehow, I have a feeling the future depends on them.

**(he looks directly at Phil. Phil does his best not to show any response **

**to his teacher's weird behavior. Mr. Messerschmitt walks away **

**from the podium. ) **

**Hackett: **Alrighty, not the perks I was expecting. I guessI'll have to explain them.

Okay, here it is short and sweet. You will now be allowed to leave campus for

lunch, not that some of you haven't snuck off for lunch in the past anyways, but

I'm not one to name names **(coughs the word _Diffy_), **anywho, anyone planning

take advantage of this new privilege will need to sign a release form stating that

anything that happens outside the school primacies can and will not fall back on

the school by means of some lawsuit. Oh, and anyone who abuses this privilege

which includes being tardy to any classes you have after lunch will have their

lunch privileges revoked…immediately. At this time I'd like to introduce a few

additions we've made to the staff this year. Everyone give a Pickford Jr./Sr.

high welcome to the new Telecommunications instructor-and might I add my

sweetheart- Ms. Mylas.

**Ms. Mylas: **Thanks, sweetie. **(smiling widely as the entire senior class shudders!) **I'm

looking forward to being with you this year and helping you out in the video

lab. I have been informed that this year you guys get a special newscast all to

yourselves, and all I can say is I'm excited to be a part of this new daily

broadcast. **(looking around nervously) **I'm new to this, but I think this is

the part where I ask that anyone interested sign up. We already have our two

top reporters and our head cameramen, but there are still many open spots on

the Pickford Seniors News team. **(no response from the crowd of students**

**with the exception of Keely.) **I guess I'll hand it back over to Vice Principle

Neil-I mean Hackett!

**Hackett: **Don't worry; you'll have more members, especially when they find out that

most of the year will be spent in field trips and off-campus reporting. **(the **

**entire group breaks out into a huge applause.)**

**

* * *

**

**In the Video Lab after school**

**Keely: **I can't believe Trina Mylas is our new telecom teacher. How cool is that. I mean

I used to imitate her when she was a reporter on CBA News.

**Phil:** Yeah, well I can't believe Trina Mylas is dating Neil Hackett.

**Keely:** Now, Phil. Mr. Hackett isn't all that bad. Okay so he might be a little flaky…

**Phil:** A little?

**Keely:** Phil! Remember when I went on that date with him that one time?

**Phil:** How can I forget? Sometimes I still have nightmares about you dating him.

**Keely:** Anyways… what I'm trying to say is he wasn't all that bad to hang out with.

And he said he used to be a professional dancer which is actually kinda cool.

**Phil:** So are you trying to say that if you had really been 25, you would have dated him?

**Keely:** Eww! No! Besides, there's only one "one and only" for me.

**Phil:** Really? **(confused)** Anyone I know? And don't say that silly actor guy, whats-his-

name…Ricky whatever.

**Keely:** No way. I'm so over him. I don't want some shallow actor. No, I don't know

who it is yet but, trust me, when I do find him, you'll be the first to know.

**(There is an unspoken tension between them. Ms. Mylas enters the room, breaking the awkward silence.)**

**Ms. Mylas:** There's my number one reporter. You already know my name, but I don't

know yours.

**Keely:** It's, uh, uh, it's…

**Phil: (whispering)** Keely

**Keely:** Keely! That's right my name's Keely Teslow. I'm so happy to meet you, Ms.

Mylas.

**Ms. Mylas:** Now none of that. my name is Trina. Well, Keely, Neil tells me you're an

aspiring news journalist. I'm glad to help you out in any way I can. Now

who is this handsome young man standing beside you? Care to introduce me?

**Keely:** Oh, this is Phil. He's my main cameraman and best friend.

**Phil: (looking at Keely)** Glad to know I'm more important as a cameraman than a friend.

**Ms. Mylas**: I don't know. I think cameramen are extremely important and not just

because of what they do. I've found that some of my closest friends have

been those who worked behind the camera. In fact that's how Mr. Hackett

and I know each other. Neil was my cameraman in college.

**Keely**: Really? **(she takes a side glance at Phil.)** And now you're dating him? How

sweet.

**Phil:** Can I ask a personal question?

**Ms. Mylas: **Of course, unless you want to know how old I am. In that case, I can't help

you.

**Phil:** No, I was just wondering if it's serious between you and Mr. Hackett? He never

seems to have that much luck with women and I can sorta see why, but now…

**Ms. Mylas: (laughing)** Oh, I get it. I must not seem like Mr. Hackett's type, right?

**Phil:** Right.

**Keely:** Phil!

**Ms. Mylas**: It's okay, Keely. I understand. I've had many friends ask the same thing. I

guess not many people see the Neil Hackett that I do. He's really quite

wonderful once you get to know him. I bet if other girls had given him half a

chance, they'd be clawing each other to get him back.

**Phil:** Women clawing over Vice Principle Hackett? **(Phil is about to laugh, but Keely **

**nudges him before he has a chance.)**

**Ms. Mylas**: Mmm-hmm, but they can't have him now because he's all mine. So, Phil,

you could say it's very serious between us. Now I think it's time I see where

you're both at, so let's run some screen tests. Phil, you grab a camera and

Keely, you grab a mic and stand over there.

**Keely:** Alright! **(whispering excitedly as she passes by Phil)** Like I said, this is going to

be the best year ever!

**Phil: (whispering to himself as he looks through the camera at Keely)** Yeah, Keel, I

have a feeling it will be.


End file.
